Match Preview :- FC Halifax Town - Saturday January 7th, 2017 (15:00:00)

On Saturday, Celtic are at home to tenth placed Halifax Town. Halifax have thirty-five points, and are eleven places and twenty-nine points above Celtic, and are still in with a shout of reaching the play-offs. Kick-off is 3pm, segregation is in force and there will be a live match centre and Twitter feed.

Halifax have lost two of their last four, and drawn the other two. Their last win was a 2-0 defeat of Kidderminster at home at the start of November, whilst their last away win was a 4-1 win over Boston in October. They have lost both their last away games, losing 2-3 to Darlington and 4-2 to Curzon. Their away record this season hasn't been as good as their home record, winning four losing four and drawing two of the ten games they've played. At home they've lost twice, drawn three and won six.

Tom Denton is their top scorer with twelve goals, putting him head and shoulders above second placed Alex Simmons who is on six. They score an average of 2.2 goals per game away from home, and concede two goals per game away from home. This is double their home conceding rate. Out of the thirty goals they have conceded this season, two thirds have been in their away games. Though they have never failed to score away from home, they have only kept one clean sheet, a 2-0 win away at Gloucester.

We have met twice this season (both away), losing both. In the league in September we lost 1-0, whilst Halifax also knocked us out of the Trophy, winning 2-1 Celtic's goal coming from a Tom Denton own goal. At Bower Fold, Celtic won the last encounter 1-0, with Mitchell Austin the scorer. In their last five visits, Celtic have won three, drawn one and lost one. The last time Halifax won at Bower Fold was a 1-0 win in 1997 in the Premier. Our best result over Halifax at Bower Fold was a 7-3 demolition in 2005 in the Setanta Shield.

Halifax's last match was a 2-2 draw at home to Darlington, new singing (from Curzon) Adam Morgan scoring both of Halifax's goals. In that match, Halifax lined up as:
1. Sam Johnson
2. Kevin Roberts
3. Josh Wilde
4. Danny Clarke
5. Nathan Hotte
6. Danny Hone
7. Josh MacDonald
8. David Lynch
9. Tom Denton
10. Adam Morgan
11. Richard Peniket

Celtic's last match was the frustrating 2-1 home loss to Curzon Ashton that saw us have twice as many shots, but half the number of goals. In that match, we lined up as:
1. Grant Shenton
2. Danny Morrton
3. Adam Mather
4. Keil O'Brien
5. Alex Honeyball
6. Aaron Chalmers
7. Kieran Dunbar
8. Gary Gee
9. Danny Wilkins
10. Lee Gaskell
11. Aidan Chippendale

Danny Wisdom is close to returning, but Callum Spooner has returned to Bolton Wanderers. His replacement is Chris Baguley, who signed midweek from Ashton United. For Halifax, both Sam Walker and Scott Garner are suspended.

Given the relative positions of the two teams, Halifax have to be favourites. Celtic's playing form has been improving faster than the results, and we do have a good record over Halifax at Bower Fold. Also, Halifax are in a bit of a slump. We are now four more wins than Bradford and Gainsborough from safety, whilst the other way, after a draw last weekend, Altrincham are now within a position to overtake us and put us bottom should we lose. More importantly, each game is one less to get the four more (than those above us) wins we need. We have nineteen cup finals.

Other games this weekend:
AFC Fylde (53pts 1st) v FC United of Manchester (31pts 11th)
AFC Telford (23pts 18th) v Gainsborough Trinity (21pts 19th)
Altrincham (8pts 22nd) v Gloucester City (30pts 12th)
Boston United (29pts 13th) v Stockport County (39pts 8th)
Brackley Town (39pts 7th) v Chorley (44pts 3rd)
Darlington (42pts 4th) v Nuneaton Town (28pts 14th)
Harrogate Town (32pts 10th) v Alfreton Town (25pts 16th)
Salford City (41pts 5th) v Kidderminster Harriers (47pts 2nd)
Tamworth (40pts 6th) v Curzon Ashton (26pts 15th)
Worcester City (24pts 17th) v Bradford Park Avenue (19pts 20th)

Match Sponsor
Brother UK
Ball Sponsor
Ball sponsor
required
0161 338 2828
Man of the Match Sponsor
Peter Wragg
Programme Sponsor
Programme sponsor
required
0161 338 2828